What to do in a power cut – personal tips for survival and boredom

Read our tips on what to do in a power cut, with advice for surviving darkness AND boredom.

There’s nothing like a good old power cut to remind you just how dependent on technology you really are. How do you survive after the exciting first hour (“Look! If I put a torch under my face, hilarious faces ensue!”)? Let me ‘illuminate’ you…

1. Daylight is your friend.

Remember that stuff? Sleep issues aside, put any nocturnal sleeping patterns behind you and get up as early as you can bear it. It’ll give you time to hunt down candles, flashlights, batteries that work and that elusive deck of cards you know you have somewhere. Card and board games are even better by candlelight (you should try Dixit or Marrying Mr Darcy, for starters).

Also, aim to travel in the daytime as much as you can. I decided I would be fine walking home at 10pm (not late by my normal standards) but drivers act like douches when there are no street lights, no crossing lights and no traffic lights. Be safe Mookies! We love you too much! If you go out at night, take a torch and a friend.

2. Learn to get on with your family.

Shockingly enough, it’s possible to get on with your folks when the power’s out. The only time my entire family have managed to get through a full game of Monopoly was when the electricity died.

Make like a turn-of-the-century family and play parlour games or wax lyrical about life and extended family members. Or tell ghost stories you’ve just made up on the spot because you can’t remember any. Remember though, play nice as the alternative is sitting on your own. In the dark. Without social media.

3. Friends!

If the family feuds are too much to bear, or you live alone, get some of your friends over. Hide and Seek in the dark is excellent, hugely underrated, and people hitting their shins on coffee tables makes them easy to find. My sister even went to an indoor camping session. They set up a load of torches in the middle of the room like a camp fire and toasted marshmallows on matches. This could be a good time for a blanket fort, as your available light will bounce off blankets and illuminate a smaller area more powerfully.

4. Indulge in a hobby.

The most fundamental law of physics is that life gets in the way of hobbies. Sure, you love to paint/draw/write/read/craft but school, uni, work and the internet often take priority. Hunt out that sketch book and pencils. Serenade companions with your guitar (acoustic, of course). Hand stitch a part of your cosplay costume. Why not brush up on some of Mooky’s crafty arty articles now and save them for a non-electrical day? The limitations of the dark might help you to explore your art in new ways, and remember that there’s more to life than social media. No, really! There is!

And, of course, there’s Tarot reading. You may not think of Tarot as a hobby, but Tarot reading is certainly a rewarding activity that you can do on your own or for someone else, in the dark, with the added atmosphere of candles. A power cut is the perfect time for spiritual sustenance.

5. Sit outside or go and visit the neighbours.

This is especially true if you live in a student-friendly area or in halls. It’s also nice if you live near some elderly people who you know live alone. People do weird stuff in unexpected situations, including talk to complete strangers. You may find a new friend who lived down the road from you all along. In the words of Regina Spektor, “People are just people, they shouldn’t make you nervous.”

6. Be prepared!

If you know in advance that you’re going to be cut off or if it’s something that happens frequently in your area, get a little pack of stuff together in preparation. Candles, lighter, batteries, condoms (so you aren’t faffing around in the dark), pens and paper, rules for card games. Anything that doesn’t rely on a socket. You may never need it but ditch the pens and add a ribbon or two and you’ve got one sexy night in right there.

So never fear next time the lights start to flicker on and off! Hopefully we’ve given you some ideas to shake away the boredom blues. It’s really not that bad once you get used to it (says she who went to seek out power at the library). If you’ve got any tips, remember to share your ideas on the Mookychick forums.